Footrest



March 20, 1951 M. w. BOSLER FOOTREST Filed March 29, 1949 2] I l N V EN TOR: a w m ,1, 4 .BY 'A l vllllllulllllmflml I! A TTORNE YS.

Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOTREST Merritt W. Bosler, Norristown, Pa.

Application March 29, 1949, Serial No. 84,244

This invention relates to foot rests. More specifically, it is concerned with foot rests of a type especially useful to morticians to hold the feet of a corpse in a definite position for ultimate fixation in such position after embalming and until rigor mortis has set in, or to orthopaedists, as Well as physicians generally, in our-- recting foot deformities or ailments.

My invention has for its chief aim the provision of a device of the kind referred to which is simple and inexpensive in construction; which can be easily and quickly attached to the feet of the subject; and which is readily adjustable to hold the feet in any desired angular relation to each other.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein--- s Fig. l is a view showing my improved foot rest in side elevation.

Fig. 2 shows the foot rest in top plan.

Fig. 3 is a view like Fig. 2 showing the device as it appears when applied to the feet of the subject.

Fig. 4 shows the bottom plan of the foot rest.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by the angled arrows V-V in Fig. 1 showing how the device is used for large or adults feet; and

Fig. 6 is a view like Fig. 5 showing how the device is used for small or childrens feet.

From these illustrations it will be observed that my improved foot rest comprises two foot plates 1 and 8 which may be fashioned from wood, plastic, non-corrosive metal or any other suitably hard and stiff material to approximate the shape of human feet. As shown, the foot plates are flanged as at 9 and II] at their heel ends, and pivotally interconnected at the inner edges of their heel portions by a bolt or rivet ll so as to be angularly adjustable relative to each other in a common plane. As a means for confining the foot plates 7 and 8 to such common plane during angular adjustment and for securing them in adjusted positions, I have provided an arcuate rod [2 which has its center of curvature in the axis of the .pivot II. The rod I2 is anchored at one end in lug I3 at the bottom of the toe portion of the plate 8, and passes slidingly through an apertured lug l4 correspondingly located on the bottom of plate 7. Threaded into the lug I4 is a winged screw I5 which, upon being tightened, binds upon the rod [2 soas to effectively hold the foot plates against displacement in the desired angular relationship after adjustment.

2 Claims. (01. 128-80) For the purpose of attaching the plates 1 and 8, I have shown straps I1 and I8 which are preferably of strong washable fabric with incorporated elastic so as to be longitudinally resilient, and which are passed through slots l9 and 20 respectively adjacent opposite side edges of the sole portions of said plates in such manner that their ends may be brought over the insteps of the subjects feet as in Fig. 1 and secured by the snap fasteners indicated at 2| and 22.

For adults or individuals having large feet, the plates 1 and 8 are applied as exemplified in Fig. 5 with th mid portions of the straps underlying the insteps; while for children or persons having small feet the straps are used as exemplified in Fig. 6 with both the mid portions and the ends of the straps extending over the insteps. It will thus be seen that, in all cases, the feet are firmly bound to the plates 1 and 8 by virtue of the elasticity of the straps I! and I8 and thereby firmly held against relative movement in the angular positions to which said plates may be adjusted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a foot rest for use by morticians or orthopaedists, a pair of foot plates; a pivot connecting the plates at the inner edges of the heel portions; means for fixing the plates in angularly positions comprising an arcuate rod with its center of curvature in the axis of the pivot and with one end thereof anchored on the toe portion of one plate, an apertured lug on the toe portion of the other plate in which the rod is slidingly engaged, and a set screw in the lug to bind upon the rod; and means for detachably fastening the plates to the feet of a person.

2. A foot rest, according to claim 1, wherein the attaching means comprises longitudinally elastic straps, which are passed respectively through slots along opposite side edges of the plates and their end adapted to be overlapped upon the insteps of the persons feet and snap fasteners for securing the overlapped ends of said straps.

MERRITT W. BOSLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 314,669 Germany Aug. 8, 1919 

